Black Hearts: The Text Adventure
Black Hearts: The Text Adventure was a 2013 video game released by Q Games as an official BH entry into the console gaming world. Unlike the other Black Hearts games, it was relatively linear in its story but offered exploration, some depth and a completely revolutionary style of gaming. The player takes control of the Commando, an army escort on a ship that crashes on a planet called Yevlos, which turns out to be the heart of the Velconi's military project of Titans, large robotic war machines. The setting is during the Original Game era. Gameplay The gameplay was unlike any other Black Hearts game, but reminiscent to the style of Stranded with Science, one of Q Game's earlier releases (a basic console survival game). The server was now a computer, and it would offer a scenario to the player (i.e. You are in the forest. What do you do?). The player would be given choices (such as a) Fight Rovoen, b) Go to cave, etc.) that would result in a consquential situation. This component of the game was still pretty similar to typical Black Hearts style. However, fighting was totally different. There was an actual system for fighting, where the player could select one of three weapons before jumping out to battle. These weapons had set damage and ammunition, and when ammunition was depleted, could not be used. Different weapons were available throughout the game world. There would then be a turn-based damage calculator (i.e. You hit 23. Pirate hits 13.) which would find the ultimate winner. A short animation of the battle would reveal the winner, and after the battle, the player would view their stats menu. This represented the player's level and health. Each battle would earn experience points towards increasing the player's level. A higher level meant a boost to normal attacks and health. To level up faster, the player often had the option throughout the game to battle enemies simply for XP. Puzzles were the main challenge throughout the game. Memory puzzles often briefly flashed a correct answer, and the player had to remember the correct order. Riddles the player had to solve also made an appearance. Overall, the player had to make correct decisions in order to survive and complete the mission, some of which were logical, some of which were luck. The Text Adventure was the first game in the Black Hearts series that had graphics. Using highly advanced ASCII artwork, the game created a breathtaking, realistic game world. Plot The ISS Proclaimation, holding the Commando, nears a mysterious planet. They perform some scans but before they can be complete, they are under attack by Rovoen ships. The Commando has a space battle with the Rovoen ships. The Commando defeats the ships; however, the AI construct Sentient crash lands the ship onto the planet. There, Rovoen swarm the ship and Commando has to fight their way out. Rovoen captures ship and Commando and marines are forced to take shelter in some cave. There, they sleep and think they’re safe, but at night, they are attacked by some wild native animal. After surviving the assault, the Commando and marines plan a counter attack and take back their ship from the Rovoen. However, due to Sentient’s tampering, it is now beyond repair (the engines are literally gone). With a safer place (the ship) as a base, the Commando decides to investigate what exactly the Rovoen are after. The Commando defeats some Rovoen and encounters the Titans and other Velconi (and pirates). The Velconi fire on the Irini, revealing the treaty has been broken. Then they battle the enemies but there are too many. An alliance is formed between the Irini and Rovoen in order to combat the Velconi. The Velconi in the area are eliminated, but titans keep being produced. The Commando then launches an assault on the Titan production factory in order to stop the unlimited supply of enemies. The Commando fights his way in and encounters a mini-boss Titan known as the Titan Commander. They then stop the factory, and also discover that Titans are not AIs, but are instead controlled by an AI named Mediant. The Commando finds and enters Mediant’s lair, where enemies are much more powerful. The Commando encounters the boss, Mediant. After the boss fight, the factory and the Titans, surprisingly, do not shut down. Then, Sentient, the final boss, turns against the Irini. After the boss fight, Sentient murders everyone but the Commando. The Titans finally get shut down. However, Sentient claims to have no memory of his massacre. The Titans defeated, the Commando takes a Rovoen ship, defeats Velconi space patrols and escorts the survivors off of the planet. Characters *The Commando: A quiet, disciplined soldier. He is unnamed throughout the game, his character simply obeying orders to the best of his abilities. He is stronger, faster and smarter than other soldiers, making him the atypical hero character. He is responsible for destroying Mediant and saving the crew of the ISS Proclaimation. *Sentient: A happy AI construct, Sentient (the native AI of the ISS Proclaimation and the conciousness of a former admiral) is placed in charge of assisting the Commando in his duties. He can be very annoying, and is hated by everyone (even the captain). A "glitch" caused Sentient (who was Mediant's brother in real life) to defend the Titan factory and fight the Irini marines even though Mediant was destroyed. *Captain Baker: The captain of the ISS Proclaimation and a friend of Captain Omar, he seems like a well-intentions but desperate sort of person. He tries to rally his remaining men to his cause, but as the troublesome AI construct Sentient was assigned to the ISS Proclaimation, it is a difficult task. *Lieutenant Admin: One of Captain Baker's closer crewmembers, he served as an intelligence gatherer and reporter. He was unfortunately one of the first casualties after the Velconi betray the Proclaimation's crew. *Mediant: An evil artificial intelligence, Mediant showed signs of some malfunctioning during his early stages of commission. He killed all of his creators and made the Titans as vicious as he was, making the Velconi generals admire him. He is later defeated by the Commando, but it does not end the Titan production (Sentient later glitches and is the final boss). Category:Games